Lots in the article linked below -- including a good bit about the vital importance of the "joy of soccer." As someone who has had soccer be a big part of most of my life, as a player, coach, and fan at various times for nearly six decades, I've tremendously enjoyed a lot of things with, about, through soccer. But I'm not sure I buy the massive straight, pure "joy" factor as it seems to be suggested in this article. I have certainly experienced some very great joys from my playing soccer, indeed a few experience that I consider to be some of the best and most memorable times of my life. But like other great things in life, there was also lots of hard work, many challenges, multiple disappointments, and significant pain that were a major part of the game. https://www.socceramerica.com/publi...ns-on-the-development-academys-flaws-the.html
Thanks that's interesting. It seems a bit odd to prevent guys from playing for their school in high school when most of those DA players (I assume) want to play for their school in college. Do lots of fans attend some of the DA games? The interviewee made it sound like no one but family and a few college scouts go to the games.
I get into this discussion rather frequently. Why is it odd for the DA to restrict that, BUT in many states the NFHS-state affiliate bars kids from doing anything else while playing for a HS team. No uproar about that. It's okay for HS state associations to do it, but the DA isn't? Heck, for decades kids couldn't get training from their coaches when they are out of season. Also, still in play is the 50% rule (or whatever they want to call it) where state associations bar kids from playing with 4 other teammates on same club team (5 total on a club team from one HS -- instituted in many states). I'd love to see the outrage at the NFHS affiliates like people gripe about the DA.
My son's old high school, DeMatha -- a private / Catholic high school in MD just outside of DC -- is trying to bridge this gap by now running its own soccer academy. Of course, as a private school and playing in a private school only league (Maryland does not allow private schools to compete in the public school leagues, unlike some other states that do allow such), DeMatha doesn't run into some of the same rules and issues that schools playing in the NFHS-state leagues do. The current director of the DM academy is Andrew Quinn, and he is also the head coach of the DM high school team, who play in the fall. Quinn is a GK who played for DM, then for Notre Dame, then for DC United for a short while, and had a few college assistant coaching jobs before heading to DM. Here is a link to DeMatha's academy site: http://www.demathasocceracademy.org/
Interesting perspective, but the most surprising part of this is "six decades" - holy crap you old people (OHHHH, I'm part of this peer group!) Many of these same arguments, kids have to play pickup, enjoyment, love of the game has been around since the 70's. In addition to the family and college scouts, pro scouts are looking at the DA. But the point being that they are not well attended. At my HS, this was the same group, except for the scouts. DA vs HS: DA is higher quality, players improve playing against higher quality; If a player wants to have a less stressed environment, then play HS. Playing both impacts the DA quality because of commitment conflicts, and the overuse of players. Travel is always going to be a problem unless you consolidate all the best players, but that gets exceptionally expensive - USA is a big place. DA is not for everyone. When I get asked what can my 13, 14, 15 year old do to better there chance for a scholarship, my response is study hard, prepare for PSAT, SAT, enjoy Soccer but don't put your faith in a soccer scholarship. There's still a lot of non-DA talent, but USL/MLS has resource issues in uncovering it (the talented players), acquiring it (because of MLS territories), and expense. At some point, I could see a 2-tier DA (Professional - no pay to play; non-professional, Club - pay to play) system. Ok, off my soap box.
Yes, it's also odd that high schools want to restrict outside training in sports, but they usually encourage outside training in academics and the arts. Unfortunately for the high school age players, two odd rules don't make a right.